The Richmond.com Top Five
Stephanie Brummell, staff writer
The Spider Crawl
Watching little Regan in "The Exorcist" come down the stairs backwards, upside down, on her fingers and toes, blood pouring out of mouth, scares the pee right out of me.
"You didn't get penetration, even with the Elephant Gun"
Giant earthworms and Kevin Bacon all in one movie? Oh the horror!
Not Exactly "Footloose," but…
OK, let's not rat on Kevin Bacon just yet. His movie "Stir of Echoes" is definitely one for the books. After being hypnotized by his sister-in-law, he starts seeing haunting visions of a girl's ghost. There is a scene when she "appears," walking towards Bacon, reaching out her hand in that crazy jerking fashion that the "Gothika" does oh so well. There is also the scene in which Bacon "sees" one of the killers shoot himself and then promptly smears blood all over his face; twisted stuff.
"The Shining"
I know this is supposed to be about movie scenes but if an entire movie freaks you out from start to finish, then there's something that has to be said about the creep-out factor. Think of the "hallway scene," that REDRUM voice or the look of Shelley Duvall herself (not an attractive lady). Thousands of very scary scenes that make up one very scary movie.
Help Me Rhonda
The scariest of them all; squirrelly boy, Kyle finds his true love Rhonda at fraternity party where she brings out the cheetah in him. I couldn't sleep for months.
"Because I Said So"
The part where the grim specter of mortality appears before Diane Keaton, and proclaimeth unto her that, yea, it is time for her to stop acting so sassy all the time, it's just annoying.
"Jersey Girl"
The part at the end that's just a single long take of Kevin Smith laughing maniacally, while literally walking to the bank. The laugh slowly becomes a hysterical sob, and the audience sees, wholly exposed now, a man broken and devoid of all artistic sensibility.
"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist"
The part where you realize that you're watching "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist."
"World Trade Center"
The part where 9/11 happens.
"Saw V"
The part where that dude gets his arm cut off. Gross!
Christie Newman, office manager
"The Shining"
Most would say the scariest scene is Jack Nicholson breaking through the door -- but I think it's when Jack is chasing Danny in the Maze outside.
"Exorcist III"
What makes this scene terrifying is the camera angle. The night nurse is entering the room of a patient and the "Gemini" killer is right behind her walking with a shiny silver sickle bar to decapitate her.
"Psycho" (1960)
The infamous shower scene!
"Blair Witch Project"
The final scene when she is standing against the wall and no one knows what will happen next.
"It"
I don't like clowns to begin with, but having "Pennywise" pop up in unexpected places makes it all the more terrifying for me.
David Baker, editorial intern
"Funny Games"
When the youngest character, Schorschi, escapes from Paul and Peter and Paul proceeds to go after Schorschi. The whole entire scene and especially the confrontation Schorschi has when Paul finally finds him are incredibly intense.
"The Exorcist"
In a rereleased version of this classic, you are able to see Regan in the "upside down spider walk scene."
"Signs"
The one scene that really got to me was near the end of the film when the TV is brought out and you see the reflection of one of the aliens standing right in their living room. The scenes that follow are also just as terrifying.
"The Grudge"
In the part where Susan is being followed through her building by one of the demons that eventually lurks into her apartment. The pale looking ghost girl with the wide mouth is a haunting character as it is but when Susan is finally overtaken in by the demon in her own bed -- that did it for me.
"Jaws"
This movie alone is one reason I prefer lakes over oceans.
Christine Stoddard, editorial intern
"Bambi"
The hunting scene and death of Bambi's mother in "Bambi." Okay, when you're 5-years-old and absolutely in love with furry creatures, this scene is suspenseful, spooky and sad. Admit it, you cried, too.
Chuckie's Attack in "Child's Play"
When the mother attempts to throw Chuckie in the fireplace and burn him to death, the doll strikes back! Guess who pushed all of her dolls off of her bed for a week after she saw that scene?
"The Wrath of Kahn"
The introduction of the eels in "The Wrath of Kahn." When Kahn first shows Kirk's men the creepy, slimy critters ... shiver.
"Labrynth"
When Hoggle gives Sarah the peach in "Labrynth." Sarah bites into the peach and immediately feels strange. (Right then the audience becomes suspicious.) Then Sarah enters the eerie glass ballroom and the song "As the World Falls Down" starts playing. At least she didn't die like as my elementary school self first feared.
The Kitchen Scene in "Jurassic Park"
The kids are trapped in a relatively small room with velociraptors. Need I say more?
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